Improvement in harvester-droppers



l. S. FGWLER.

Harvester-Drvoppers. Y

N0 145 640 'Patented Dec.16,1873,

// @New y veil/ 2025.

fINITED STATES PATENT GEEIGE.

JAMES S. FOVLER, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTER-DRPPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,640, dated December 16, 1872i; application led October 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. FOWLER, of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Discharging Apparatus for lteapers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of v this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on discharging apparatus for reaping-machines, wherein the grain is delivered from the platform upon a slatted dropper, and discharged therefrom upon the ground, out of the way of the team, in a succeeding round. My improvement consists in connecting the device which vibrates the dropper with a stopand-start motion for the endless belts, for the purpose of having these devices operate simultaneously, as will be hereinafter explained.

The following is a description of my improvement:

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the platform, which consists of a ,rectangular frame covered with sheet-zinc or any other suitable metal. This metallic covering extends entirely over the platform, and has curved extension lingers, marked y', which pass upward against the extension of the nger-guard B, as shown in Fig. 2. C represents an extension of the finger-bar, to which a slatted dropper, F F', is hinged, so that the rear separated ends of the slats are allowed to receive vibration vertically. The outer and inner ends of the platform-frame afford bearings for two longitudinal shafts, on which are applied iianged drums. The drums d d d at .the outer end of the platform are keyed on their shaft, but the drum d nearest the front end of the platform turns loosely on its sha-ft, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The drums D D D D are all keyed on a shaft, c, which is nearest the inner end of the platform, and the front drum D nearest the ilngerbar is of larger diameter than the drums in rear of it, and receives around. it an endless belt, a', on which lingers or grain-carriers a are applied at proper intervals apart. This endless belt also passes around the loose drum d. Belts a are also applied around the drums D d in rear of the front belt a, as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft e carries on its rear end a pulley, E, on one side of which a grooved hub, b, is formed, embraced by a yoke on the rear end of a longitudinally-movable rod, c, which is carried beneath those narrow strips of the platform cover, which are turned down between the drums D D. The front end of the rod c is pivoted to a crank, g1, on one end of a rod, g, which is supported by bearings g2 fixed to the front edge of the finger-bar extension O. The inner end of the rod g has a crankarm, g3, secured to it, to which is pivoted a rod, h., that is connected to the front end of the vertical portion of the dropper. The beltpulley E has a cruciform recess, j', formed into its rear end, which is intended to receive a pin, r, that is inserted through the rear end of the shaft e when the dropper is raised, and allow the shaft e to be rotated by rotating the pulley E. The pulley E will have rotary motion communicated to it by means of a belt applied around a driving-shaft on the transportingframe of the reaper. The connecting-rod h will be attached to a treadle or to a 'hand-lever placed conveniently to a person on the transporting-frame, for the purpose of allowing him to aetuate the dropper, and at the same time shift the pulley E into or out of gear with the shaft e.

It will be seen from the above description that when the rear end of the slatted dropper is raised to receive grain upon it the belt-pulley E will be engaged with the shaft e, and motion will be imparted to the belts a. The

fingers on these belts will carry the grain from the platform A, and deliver it on the dropper F F', and when a sufficient quantity to make a bundle has been so delivered the operator allows the dropper to fall upon the stubble, and discharge the gathered load, at the same time stopping the rotation of the belts by shifting the pulley E, so that it will turn loosely on its shaft e. NVhen the dropper is again raised7 the pulley E will be engaged with its shaft e, and the belts started. By these lneans the operator can regulate the sizes of the gayels.

It will also be seen that I run the front belt faster than those in rear of it. This is for the purpose of delivering the butts of the grain evenly on the dropper. It will also be seen that the drums D D', nearest thedropper, have Wide ilanges for clearing the grain from the ngers a on the belts a at the proper time for its discharge.

"What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent7 s The hinged dropper 'F F', connected to clutch-pulley on the shaft e of belt-drums D D7 by means of rods 7b g o, as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES SElVAR-D FOVLER.

VvTitnesses ABNER- DAVrsoN, PETER A. BOYLE. 

